METUCHEN – As the NFL season gets ready to kick off, the Tilted Kit, a new sports bar recently opened in Metuchen, is offering Central Jersey residents a vibrant atmosphere to watch their favorite teams.

With 53 TVs playing, a selection of 48 draft beers for purchase, and a host of “Kilt Girls” entertaining and serving customers, patrons of this restaurant at 61 US Highway 1 South have everything they could want for a Sunday afternoon experience.

“I don’t know why anybody would ever go anywhere to watch football,” said Michael Hennessey, the manager of the new Tilted Kilt location. “It just doesn’t make sense to me.”

Born in Jersey City and raised in Carteret, Hennessey is no stranger to the Central Jersey restaurant business. In fact, he opened the Cheesecake Factory that is across the street from where his newest endeavor opened on July 24.

Equipped with nearly 7,800 square feet of space that sits an estimated 250 people at capacity, the Tilted Kilt, known as the "best looking sports pub you've ever seen," pays homage to the old public houses of America, England, Scotland and Ireland.

“Tilted Kilt continues to flourish and grow as people seek more convenient, casual dining options with a unique ambiance, innovative menu options and unbeatable hospitality,” said Tilted Kilt President Ron Lynch in a news release. “We pride ourselves on being the best place to watch your favorite sports team while enjoying an incredible atmosphere and strive to uphold the beliefs and ideals of old-world pubs.”

The independently owned franchise location is creating more than 110 new jobs in the rapidly developing Metuchen area, which is home to an increasing number of apartments as well as a long-planned Whole Foods, still under construction. The pub is owned by Frank Curatolo Industries, which has multiple restaurants in Wildwood and Northfield.

The restaurant’s Celtic pub-inspired menu features traditional game day food such as burgers and wings, while also honoring its namesake with Irish classics like Shepherd’s Pie and Hand Battered Fish & Chips. Other menu items include creations like San Patricio Street Tacos, Pub Fried Egg Burger and “The Big Rack” of ribs. As the Tilted Kilt slogan goes, “A Cold Beer Never Looked So Good.”

The kitchen of the Tilted Kilt.(Photo: ~Courtesy of the Tilted Kilt)

But beyond that, Hennessey hopes to keep customers coming back with a friendly, welcoming vibe at the eatery.

“We want you to hang out,” he said. “We want you to enjoy your experience.”

At the Tilted Kilt, part of that experience is the role of servers and bartenders as “cast members,” whose job is to entertain and interact with guests as much as it is to bring them their food.

The entire experience follows the theme of a theatrical production. Servers are called “entertainers,” wearing mini-kilts made of the Tilted Kilt's own registered tartan plaid, a plaid top, sporran, stockings and flashings. When a new restaurant is hiring, the “directors” (store managers) hold a “casting call” where servers audition to be part of the “show.” For female guest enjoyment, Tilted Kilt also recruits “cast members” as male bartenders who wear the Tilted Kilt uniform.

Hennessey is committed to this part of the customer experience, as he aims to give his guests much more than a good meal.

“We’re committed to giving the best service — the whole package,” Hennessey said.

As part of the experience, Metuchen’s Tilted Kilt location will be a place that everyone in the family can enjoy, he added.

Hennessey said that all kids’ meals would be free with the purchase of an adult entrée, while he also plans to hold Karaoke nights, industry events and a host of other promotions on a consistent basis.

In addition, the restaurant will have drink specials that Hennessey described as “better than any other restaurant in the area.”

About Tilted Kilt

Tilted Kilt Pub and Eatery, has 85-plus units in operation throughout the U.S. and Canada, with additional 20 pubs in various stages of development. Tilted Kilt works to be different than other sports bars because of its fun pub experience, according to a news release. The pubs feature dozens of large, HDTVs and big screens to show all latest sporting events.

Every pub has 30-plus draught and bottled beers along with menu items served by the world-famous Kilt Girls®. According to the new release, the Tilted Kilt Girls and Guys are inviting and represent the comfortable atmosphere while simultaneously demonstrating a high level of service in the industry.